Shame On You Campaign... Fighting For The Elderly Mentally Infirm In Staffordshire

· Letters to and from Councillors

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· Paul Farrelly MP Web Open Letters

· May Place Homage

I have included this Web Open Letter from the May Bank Ward Councillors because The Homstead was to be amalgamated with  May Place Day Care Centre to become part of Newcastle under Lyme's EMI Resource Centre under the original Changing Lives Programme to be phased in 2012. It has been abandoned in the rushed through Revised Changing Lives Agenda of the 15th February 2007.

Newcastle Borough Council
Civic Offices
Merrial Street
Newcastle under Lyme
Staffordshire
ST5 2AG



Dear Cabinet Member

Meeting of the Cabinet Wednesday 7 February 2007
Item 5 – The Homestead Residential Home, May Place, May Bank, Newcastle

We are writing to you as Borough Councillors for the May Bank Ward at Newcastle Borough Council. Within our ward is one of the residential homes and day care centres, The Homestead at May Place, which Staffordshire County Council is proposing to close under its ‘Changing Lives’ programme.

On Tuesday evening 6 February two representatives from Staffordshire County Council attended a meeting at The Homestead to hear the concerns of residents and their families, which Cllr Holland and Cllr Matthews also attended.

We are concerned what effect the planned closure of The Homestead is having on its residents. Besides the uncertainty and anxiety, we consider that the upheaval of having to move will cause residents both physical and mental distress given their age and their frailty.

We are concerned about the carers and staff at The Homestead who are devoted to caring for residents. Being a carer in a residential home or at a day centre is not just a job, it is a vocation. These unsung heroes deserve better treatment from Staffordshire County Council. The Homestead is a community where staff do care about the residents. The staff even have their own song “There’ll always be a Homestead”, which they sing with residents.


We are concerned about the closure of the day care centre facility at The Homestead because of the loss of respite for carers and family members. Being a full-time carer for an elderly or sick relative is exceptionally demanding and we believe the loss of this facility will put carers under greater stress. We are also concerned about the removal of stimuli and the social interaction which a day care centre provides to the vulnerable and the elderly.

We are concerned about the families of the residents at The Homestead and the angst which these plans are causing them. How do you envisage that families will be able to pay the suggested top-up fees to enable them to have some respite?

Each of us has received calls from people connected with The Homestead since the shock announcement last week.

We urge you not to proceed with the closure of The Homestead in May Place.

Yours sincerely


Cllr Stephen Holland May Bank Ward, Newcastle Borough Council

Cllr Simon Tagg May Bank Ward, Newcastle Borough Council

Cllr Ian Matthews May Bank Ward, Newcastle Borough Council

 


COLUMN OF SHAME

They Voted For It!

Gorton, Richard
Leech, David
 Astle, Mrs. M.
Barber, M.J.
Dean, Mrs. C.A.
Haynes, P.
Simpson, R.J.
Beresford, P.J.
Dix, T.A.
Leech, D.A.
Taylor, J.W.
Boden, E.M.
Dixon, D.I.
McDermid, R.R.
Toth, J.
Clarke, M.R.
Drinkwater, E.N.
Muir, J.
Wakefield, V.T.J.
Compton, Mrs. M.R.
Garforth, J.A.
Norman, S.G.
White, P.J.
Davies, P.R.
Poulter, M.J.D
Wilkins, A.J.
Davis, D.J.
Hambleton, Mrs. S.
Roberts, G.E.
Woodward, Mrs. S.E.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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